For the second time in five days, the Kansas City Chiefs have cut veteran running back CJ Spiller. Just as was the case with the first cut, this seems to be a roster move the Chiefs are making in order to keep Spiller's contract from being guaranteed, which it would have been if he was on the roster for the team's first game. The Chiefs have been enamored with Spiller all preseason and could very well re-sign him again on Friday, or they could choose to go in another direction. In the short term though, this does solidify Hunt's value as an RB2 play with upside in Thursday night's matchup against the Patriots. The move also provides a little bump for Tyreek Hill as well. Andy Reid has already said that he will line Hill up all over the field, but if for some reason the Chiefs are in need of something extra behind both Hunt and Charcandrick West, Hill by default will be the only other option available on Thursday night's roster.
Kareem Hunt owners everywhere breathed a sigh of relief as the Kansas City Chiefs ended up re-signing running back CJ Spiller just one day after releasing him. Although head coach Andy Reid previously said that Spiller would mix in for carries in relief of injured Spencer Ware, he doesn't pose any more of a threat to Hunt's workload now than he did a few days ago. This move comes as the Chiefs moved cornerback Steven Nelson to their injured reserve list, and likely didn't find any other backs that they were willing to take a flyer on in the recently inflated free agent pool. This backfield is once again exactly as it was before, with Hunt set to start the season as the clear bell-cow, while Charcandrick West serves as his primary backup. Spiller should continue to add depth for the team, with a few spot carries throughout the season.
Even though veteran running back CJ Spiller made quite the impression during training camp this preseason, the Kansas City Chiefs surprisingly decided to release him in their race to 53 on Saturday. When Spencer Ware went down for the season, head coach Andy Reid mentioned that Spiller would be a part of the group that would attempt to fill the void, but the team either didn't see enough to keep him around or they have their eye on another RB. This means that rookie RB Kareem Hunt is headed for some serious volume as the team's full-time three down back, with only Charcandrick West on the roster behind him. This move shows just how much the team trusts Hunt even if they do go on to add another back, and it also just about makes him a lock for RB2 production, with the definite upside for some RB1 weeks as well. If you were able to grab West in the later rounds you might have gotten a steal, as he will serve as the lone backup to Hunt for now.
CJ Spiller Out to Prove He Still Has Gas Left in the Tank
Responding to the media on Monday, Kansas City Chiefs 30-year-old running back CJ Spiller stated, "I know what I can still do. I know that I'm still the juice man." Other players along with the coaching staff have echoed this statement over the past few days, as Spiller had been seeing plenty of run with the third unit while fellow RB Charcandrick West was dealing with an ankle injury. One of the highlights of camp that backs up these sentiments came when Spiller showed he still has breakaway speed and scored on a short pass from rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes from 98 yards out. It will still be an uphill battle to make the roster for Spiller, as West has returned to practice and both Spencer Ware and Kareem Hunt have proved themselves to be locks for this year's roster. If Spiller does make it through the final cut, he could at some point become worth consideration in deeper PPR leagues, but any decision made on him should be postponed until the Chiefs wrap up their preseason.
